Now that schools are in session, a “Back to School” recruitment campaign has begun by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota to match children with mentors.
The goal of the campaign is to recruit 100 “Bigs” by Oct. 31. “Bigs” is short for big brothers, big sisters. The “Bigs” serve as friends/mentors to the “Littles” – young children in the program.
A press release from BBBS states the following: “Back to school is an exciting time in Central Minnesota, but it can also be stressful for kids and young adults as they learn new routines, take challenging classes and try to make new friends.”
The Covid-19 pandemic caused new challenges in the necessity for online learning and some students have fallen behind. That is why BBBS is working hard to find more “Bigs” for one-to-one mentoring with children. There is currently a waiting list for “Littles” who would like “Big” mentors.
Boys typically wait longer than girls to be matched up with mentors. In Central Minnesota, there are now more than 100 children waiting for a mentor.
As part of the current campaign, recruiting mentors for school-based programs will be a priority. Statistically, 66 percent of youth on the waiting list are boys, but only 36 percent of volunteer mentors are men.
To learn more about how to become a mentor and how to make a difference in the life of a child, call 320-253-1616 or visit BigDefenders.org.
